Comments on: Breaking news: Mongolian chefs learn to make wheat snacks

By: Chris O'Brien

Chris O'Brien — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 04:15:17 +0000

Jim, I’m afraid I have no Mongolian name policy whatsoever. I can’t say I see Mongolian names that often and, to be honest, I just accept the romanised translations put in front of me. Next time, I’ll ask the translator how he/she chose the particular translation.

I have to say one of my priorities when editing Xinhua stories is to prevent any bullshit being released about how well ethnic minority groups are treated in China. A story I received the other day talked of 400,000 herdsmen in Xinjiang being given new jobs in order to protect the grasslands. But from the story, and the subsequent conversation with the translator, it became clear that 100,000 herdsmen in Xinjiang are to be kicked off their land each year for the next four years and left to go and hunt out work in the cities. The story seems to have disappeared so I will follow that up after the May holiday and make sure it is released.

By: Chris O'Brien

Chris O'Brien — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 04:06:24 +0000

Ben, delighted you asked that question! For the first few days of my new job as Xinhua polisher I deleted it, thinking “Enditem” was some kind of internal editing tool. My boss came in after the third day in utter confusion and asked why I insisted on deleting it. I told him I thought it looked very odd and they could at least separate the two words. He giggled and said it was “Xinhua style”. At such an early stage, I didn’t argue and I have left “Enditem” at the bottom of every story ever since. Of course, it became normal to me very quickly and I forgot how absurd it looked on the website (which is in fact completely separate to my department - and often chooses not to run stories deemed too critical). So thank you for bringing it to my attention again. I asked my boss why “Enditem” is such an entrenched part of Xinhua’s work and he said he had no idea, it is “Xinhua style”. I asked another editor and he said, “I’ve always wondered why it is there as well”. I might bring it up at the next editorial meeting and start a full-on leaflet campaign to rid Xinhua of Enditem. I will let you know if it succeeds!

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 20:42:31 +0000

What’s your policy with Mongolian names and similar, Chris?
When I’m translating, I waste hours trying to find correct international standard romanisations of non-Han language place and person names.
Every little helps when legitimising minority traditions at risk from overweening chauvinism, I say, and chipping away at the notion that the state here properly represents these people and cultures.
Have recently been reading an internal party monograph by a retired Mongolian Marxist propagandist who blows large holes in the application of the nationalities self-governance policy from the point of view of a life-long Party loyalist.

By: Ben Ross

Ben Ross — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 10:53:24 +0000

This isn’t directly related to your post, but do you have any idea why Xinhua always ends their articles with Enditem? Is this some editing note that somehow never gets cut out before the article reaches the website? Seems a little ridiculous to have it at the end of every article, but maybe there’s a reason. Any ideas? My the way, rock on Mongolian chefs!

By: Coree T.

Coree T. — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 14:53:49 +0000

Um, I could be alone, but this is news that actually interests me… I’ve now a craving for some Mongolian BBQ…

By: Loopy Lou

Loopy Lou — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 14:49:24 +0000

That’s the problem with you O’Brien, you have no respect for food. You and your western colleagues won’t be content until we have a McDonalds on every street corner, and a sodastream in every room - I abhor your ideology-less existence. Where is your moral compass?

FOOD IS RELEVANT, AND YOU O’BRIEN, YOU MAY POLISH OUR FOREIGN NEWS OUTPUT, BUT YOU WILL NEVER TAKE OUR WHEATY SNACKS!!!!!!!!!